To Blacken the Lake
by Jedi Heathcliff
Summary: Captured by Ganondorf, she soon found herself questioning her own morals. A mere look into his eyes made her forget he was a monster out to rule over her family's kingdom. When she finally finds her way back to her sister Zelda, she realizes that lying quickly stopped being her strong suit. Ganondorf/OC; Zelda/Link
1. Prologue

**To Blacken the Lake**

 **Prologue**

Our mother kept telling us not to play by the lake too much. We might fall in and drown or get bitten by a bug and get an infection.

Most importantly, she said not to touch the black rock.

There was a tale of an evil wizard who planted the rock there and cursed it with magic. If anyone were to touch it, their worst nightmare would become reality.

My sister and I, of course, rarely listened to our mother. Even if she was Queen of Hyrule, Zelda and I would still play in that lake. We would hunt for shells, snatch at fish, and splash each other with the crystal blue waters.

Zelda, being a year older, was the smarter and more responsible one: she never even dared go near the black rock. As much as I teased her about being cowardly, it never fazed her. She refused to have anything to do with it.

I, however, wasn't so safe. I marched right over to that rock and slammed my open palm on its slick metallic surface to prove I was the bravest of the both of us.

My sister didn't think it so amusing. Her eyes narrowed at me and she immediately snatched my hand and dragged me straight to our mother.

To this day, I laugh at the story. After all, my worst nightmare has been very obvious to those I love most and they've noticed that nothing of the sort has come to pass.

I suppose the tale was just that: a tale and nothing more.

But how very wrong I came to find out I was.


	2. Secret Notes and Ugly Thieves

**A/n:** This story is darker and a little more mature. Just fair warning!

* * *

 **To Blacken the Lake**

 **Chapter One: Secret Notes and Ugly Thieves**

It had been years since Zelda was up for a trip down to the lake. I begged with her and pleaded with her, but she didn't so much as move an inch on the matter. She was much too busy being Queen-in-training for childish nonsense as she put it. This was always leaving my heart as low as my belly, but there wasn't anything I could do about it.

I admired her for it — for being so focused and responsible; traits I have and will probably always lack.

There was definitely a downside to my sister. Everyone has their flaws, and if it wasn't obvious, hers was being much too grown-up for her own good. At only twenty-four, she believed that the whole world was now on her shoulders and she couldn't for a single second think so much as a care-free thought. No, that would be blasphemous to the first degree.

And to be fair, my flaws were the exact opposite of hers: I was too childish most days and even vile with my language as well. Only around our friends, mind you. I was raised a princess of Hyrule, so I'm very aware when to turn the maturity up and the childishness down on those diplomatic occasions. I'm not that big of a fool.

However, I am quite the fool since we've circled back to that topic.

Nevermind my silly dare of having to touch the rock, I was foolish enough to venture too far for my own good.

It started earlier this day — my birthday. I rose up early in the morning to watch the knights practice their sword play in the courtyard. To watch them fight one another and curse one another never got so old. Link was Zelda and I's dearest friend in the knight's guard. He was a fierce fighter and a loyal knight. There was no one better suited to guard a princess. He was assigned to Zelda for good reason; every one of my guards had either left or begged for a different post.

I take full blame, I assure you. I'm either much too bothersome with my pranks to guard for long or one of them has angered me to the point where I kick them out or worse…pull a prank so dark, it leaves them bursting into tears and running away.

A few of them have done that. To this day, my mother says I'm still punished ten-fold. I'm not to be outside the castle for another two months. Eight months have already passed since the punishment began.

Link was off today. His swings were too loose and his posture worse than it normally was. He was losing the spars left and right while the instructor ridiculed his every move. Only part of me held pity for him; the rest of me just stood there laughing.

When the practice ended, I glided my way down the steps, sweeping my blond hair behind my shoulders.

"You were dreadful today, Link. What's going on?" I asked him with mock concern. I knew precisely what was going on.

Link rolled his eyes at me. "The princess has told me to meet her in the garden today…do you think it's to let me go as her guard? Did I do something wrong, Tori?"

"Of course not, she adores you. Who knows, maybe she's proposing marriage and you two will have kids and live happily ever after."

His eyes went wide. It was a wonder that all the mocking between him and my sister that he still found my playfulness such a surprise.

"That's crazy… S-she's a princess." His stuttering and the averting of his eyes was comical.

"I'm the one who loves surrounding myself with powerful men. She's not so shallow. Trust me, she probably has somewhere special in her heart for you." I gave him a sly wink, making him feel all the more uncomfortable. The rise in the color of his cheeks was plenty of satisfaction for me.

"So, she tells me you will see her in the gardens in one hour, yes? I hope all goes well. I, on the other hand, have a dress to pick out for my birthday party. Don't let your rendezvous get in the way of my party, alright? There may be impending, imminent doom descending upon us all because of Ganon, but that doesn't mean we can't hold a ball!" It was the most difficult thing to walk away and not burst out laughing at Link's astonished expression, but I managed it.

Zelda didn't set up such an inappropriate meeting. Of course, she didn't.

I did.

Xxx

The hour counting down to the meeting was absolutely excruciating. Wanting nothing more than to see my sister in such an awkward situation.

However, I admit that more of it had to do with me wanting them to finally get over the passive flirtation and gawking at one another. Despite, I couldn't expect too much from this setup than anger and confusion towards me when both knew their fateful positions and imbalanced rankings. They were truly star-crossed lovers if I've ever seen any.

I still made my way to the forests behind the gardens and waited my time there until I watched the two meet one another in hesitant reservation.

Our mother's story of how she met father would never grow old — even for Zelda. Romance and love was no childish dream even for a headstrong, determined and focused princess. Mother would always describe how her father was strong, handsome, and a greater man than any she'd ever met — a true hero.

I never imagined my husband as much as my sister imagined herself with Link. That much I can assure you. There were plenty of days where I caught Zelda distracted, staring out the window only to see that Link was just on the other side standing guard. She was as much in love as our mother was when she met our father.

For me, I could only hope that one day I would be like Zelda and Mother: happily in love and sure of it.

Though Mother didn't think so, I still saw myself as having plenty more time to figure that out later.

For now, I would be the obnoxious little sister who tried getting her older sibling to be with the one she admired most.

Link arrived first, thankfully. His face was very pale and his eyes wide like a doe's. The poor thing was almost as scared of Princess Zelda as he was facing real monsters.

He sat down on one of the stone benches, clenching the note in his hand. He bounced his leg up and down. The beads in his hair waved around and clanked together as he looked back and forth from the entrances at opposite ends of the garden. I couldn't imagine being so nervous as he was. It made me feel terrible for putting it into his head so clearly that this was more likely a meeting of sweet confessions rather than of business. Sometimes I wonder if that would have made much difference in the outcome.

Zelda took her sweet time to come out from the east entrance, walking gracefully over to where Link stood immediately upon her arrival. He bowed quickly and chuckled, scratching the back of his neck.

I smirked; the scratching of his neck was definitely something her sister couldn't help but swoon over.

The two awkward creatures stood at the same height. Luckily for Link, her sister wasn't so shallow as to be concerned over how short he was for a man. Her hair was much darker and her skin much more perfect than his. He was rough around the edges — a common trait among the guards. His hair was bright blond while hers was a light shade of brown and much longer, reaching all the way to her waist. She was a stunning sight. Any man would be lucky and then some to be with her.

And a guard of all people…

I wasn't sure what it was about Link that made my sister weak in the knees. The only time I tried prying into her infatuation, all she said was, "I don't understand a bit of it, and I don't wish to speak more of it."

I think part of her was sad that she liked Link.

Not because he was who he was, but because of who he was, they would never truly be together. That's what probably hit her hard.

Link was so at loss for words that he could only stare with a mouth wide open.

Of course, it was the princess who spoke first. "I must say, Link, this is highly inappropriate."

Still, nothing came from his mouth.

"Well, speak, Link. Have you nothing to really say?" she asked. Her tone sounded hurt.

"I-I… Well, I thought there might be something you wanted to tell me."

I rubbed my forehead, hoping someone would say something other than something that might foil the plan. As much as I loved toying with the two of them and their emotions, results in moving forward was a greater prize than simply their discomfort.

It was a strange feeling for me in that moment. It was like watching a play unfold before my eyes where I didn't know the end but begged silently that the two lovers would live happily anyway.

I leaned forward in the brush, struggling to keep myself concealed all the while trying to will myself closer to the two in the garden.

"What do you mean?" Zelda asked, looking taken aback. Her cheeks flushed, but immediately she regained her composure: the determination of a princess was clearly seeping through her expression. "You know, there is, Link. And I think it's time that I say this for the sake of moving on."

No, I thought. Not for the sake of moving on, but for a happier life.

Link, too, seemed to lean in closer as the words became stuck in her mouth. Both myself and Link were figuratively on the edge of our seats, waiting for her to say what she needed to say.

"For quite some time, I couldn't shake this feeling that — "

Those were the last words I heard my sister say right before a hand clamped hard over my mouth and someone tied my hands behind my back. My first instinct was to scream, but the slender, bony hand rendered my mouth utterly useless. No squirming, no kicking, and no amount of lashing helped my cause in escaping. The thieves threw me into a wagon and hopped in right next to me with vile smirks on their faces.

And now, I've arrived at this point. I'm still sitting in this goddess-forsaken wagon with a bunch of ugly Gerudos on my way to who-knows-where.

It's this moment where I see Hyrule Castle — my home and comfort — disappear on the horizon that I realize my nightmare has come true.

I'm now all alone with no family and no one to comfort me.


	3. Desert Wasteland

**A/n:** Thank you so much for the review and the follows and favorites! You guys are awesome and keep me writing :3 I hope you enjoy this chapter and this story will be picking up very soon!

* * *

 **To Blacken the Lake**

 **Chapter Two: Desert Wasteland**

Glancing over to one of the Gerudo women, I feel more disgusted by the second. Their clothing is more revealing than what I wear to bed every evening. It's an atrocity to see such immodesty. To think there are people more unashamed than me is an impossibility. Of course, looking at them now is a different matter.

"And here I thought the young princess was more open-minded than the rest of them. But look at her face, mother. She thinks us more atrocious than even the King of Hyrule. I mean, look at her ugly twisted up face."

I narrow my eyes at the woman insulting me. She is just as orange-red skinned as the other Gerudos, but appearing much younger than the rest. I am surrounded by older Gerudo woman. Most of them are almost twice as tall as I am; however, one of the elders sits with her feet inches above the floorboard of the wagon. She is also the only one holding any sort of smile or genuine kindness towards me. Despite my hatred for the enemy, I am grateful for that small comforting expression.

"I'll say," one of the more snooty women pipes up. "They find us all ugly, but look at them! That ugly white-yellow shade of hair unkempt to their buttocks — repulsive."

My butt scoot forward, but the chains pull me back from getting any closer to the ones sitting on the bench across from me. "Listen here, Gerudo scum, if anyone is ugly here, it is you. You're the one who captured me, right? What have I done to you?"

The giant woman's eyes turn to slits as I lash back at her.

"Alright, ladies," the small elder says. She smiles at me with bright yellow eyes. "She is going to be our new guest in our village. Let's treat her with a bit of dignity."

The youngest woman grows wide-eyed as the women speaks such nonsense. "What are you talking about? She is a prisoner. I would have lovingly handed her over to Vonka, but with how arrogant she is, it sounds like throwing her to Ganondorf is the best option."

The elder smiles again, acting all sorts of funny — of course, it isn't as if I know what she was like normal, but my guess it isn't as cryptic and confusing as she is currently being.

"Throwing her to my son is a great idea." Her smile grows so big in that moment that her eyes squint shut.

My eyes, however, grow wide. "I think I'll take this Vonka she spoke of."

The young Gerudo snaps her head in my direction, shooting another glare. "As if you get a choice."

The wagon rolls over a rock and lurches everyone to the left. My body bumps into one of the Gerudo women who gladly shoves me back to my place. Thankfully, the rest of the way is only swaying rather than any sudden tipping.

Scoffing at me, she snivels. "Princess Tori of Hyrule. Your sister receives an ancient family name while you are named after a small, insignificant lake. How unfortunate for you."

I raise a brow. "You have no more insults that you try and make fun of my name that I rather like? Pathetic."

The more I snap at every remark they make, the more I wonder why I'm behaving precisely as they are. I suppose it best to simply keep my mouth closed.

It was unlucky for me that there are no windows in that wagon to look out of so that my eyes aren't forced to look at the many red-wrinkly women. Instead, I lower my eyes to my bound hands, wandering how one moment I was watching Zelda and Link like a giddy little girl and then prisoner of the Gerudo tribe.

"So why is it that there are only women in the Gerudo tribe? How is it possible to reproduce?" I ask, genuinely curious. I have wanted to ask my father for quite some time, but the tribe was usually something our family never spoke of; especially recently when they threaten to overtake Hyrule Kingdom.

And you bet darn sure I am going to find out what they are up to while I'm prisoner.

I just hope that I'm not a prisoner for very long…

Finally, the wagon slows down and the Gerudo hop out one by one. The woman I ran into only moments earlier shoves me out, making me fall onto another one of them. It's growing more ridiculous. I am surrounded by them and there is no way out. I can hardly move without bumping into an orange-skinned, wrinkly old hag.

Sweat forms on my forehead as the sun's rays pierced the the ground and blanketed my pale skin. The heat here must be a thousand-fold than in Hyrule. My lungs are clearly weak things, having such difficulty breathing in the hot air. I'm an embarrassment to my people; not even five minutes in the Gerudo Desert and I feel as though I'm going to pass out on the sand.

The youngest woman comes up behind and, nudging me to move forward with the group as they walk inside one of the sandstone huts. Though the place is buzzing with life; it doesn't feel as such. The women are quiet — their faces are stern and void of expressions as they marched back and forth across the village with spears in their hands.

They lead me to one of the longer buildings. I'm not sure if the building is supposed to be as dark as I see it or if seeing the sun at its brightest creates an illusion of pure darkness. Whatever the case, I am thankful that one of the women felt me a threat enough to grip my arm, causing her to guide me through the pitch black.

The hallway is long and narrow. Or at least, I figure it's narrow from how close the Gerudo women walks next to me. I try moving away but quickly run into a cold, uneven surface that feels like metal bars.

Though I'm sure it's been only seconds since we entered the building, the silence makes it feel like hours.

"Where am I going?" I ask.

"Shut up, prisoner."

To be funny, I fake a shocked gasp. "I thought I was a guest. I must say, I'm quite hurt."

"EllaRosa is a case. Best you ignore her no matter how nice she is to criminals," the women who led me says.

We stop at the end of the hallway. There is a dim light coming through a high, oblong window. The room is small. I'm not sure a small child's bed would fit in this room. The woman opens the metal barred door and shoves me inside, shutting it tightly with a key and tucking it into her pocket. The Gerudo women quickly disappear into the darkness.

I'm all alone in this tiny cell…not even a bird chirping to keep me sane.

Fortunately for me, I am no helpless citizen of Hyrule. If one couldn't tell from my story so far, I get into a lot of trouble quite frequently. Once upon a time, I fell into a Sheikah trap meant to catch bears and other large critters for meat and hides. It was an easy lock to pick, mind you, but I can't imagine that Gerudos are somehow smarter than the technologically advanced Sheikahs.

Pulling a small pin from my unkempt hair, I began away at the picking. Just as I assumed, the lock was nothing more complicated than a Sheikah padlock. It falls to the floor with a small clink — a clinking that sends shivers through my skin with pride and joy.

I'm not a typical princess. This is good.

I quietly make my way down the hall, my slippers making more noise than I hoped. Slipping them off, I continue to the entrance, gripping them in my hands.

The village is rather small in radius. Most of the buildings are built skyward rather than across the sandy ground. I try scanning the area as swiftly as possible. There are guards and groups of women training with weapons in almost every corner. Getting out without getting caught will be a mighty large task.

But what else am I supposed to do?

The buildings are close together, creating narrow alleys and great shade for sneaking around. I walk out of the prison and make my way slowly to the back of the village. I keep a close eye on the group of women closest to me who are waving spears around as they practice the art of stabbing imaginary enemies. I shiver at the thought of one of those piercing my gut.

As plummeting as my luck had been so far today, it shoots right back up as my eyes lay on a natural canyon-made archway leading to the outside of the village and the rest of the wastelands.

The journey here was long, but dying out there is much better than being tortured here.

I take a single step beyond the arch, peering behind me to make sure no one sees me. The coast is clear, and I take off at high speed across the desert sands. It is an even greater miracle that running across the dust is a quiet matter. You could barely here a horse gallop a mere five feet away.

I run until I no longer see the Gerudo village or the massive canyons surrounding it.

My heart races so fast I worry that it will beat right out of my chest. Leaning over with hands placed on my knees, I breath in and out with great force. The heat makes it so difficult to catch my breath.

The sun is sinking low on the horizon, goading me to continue my walk before it gets too dark. Of course, with the length of the wagon ride, I'm not so sure that hurrying is going to do me a whole lot of good. The night is approaching fast.

As the hours pass, the sun disappears and the darkness takes over. I was hoping there would be stars and a brilliant moon to light the path ahead, but there isn't a single star in the evening sky. The only thing lighting my path is the eighth moon high above, appearing much further away than I'd ever seen it.

I may be wild and enjoy my days outdoors, but it seems none of that has prepared me for such an strenuous journey across desert sands. My body is already growing weak, my throat is thoroughly dry, and I've stopped sweating profusely from the lack of water in my body. It was dumb of me to have left without so much as a drop of water. Now here I am, ready to give up and pass out for the vultures to feed on.

With a slight shake of my head, I furrow my brows and try to focus on the good thoughts while trekking.

Images of Zelda and Link cross my mind. I picture them happy with their conversation despite it having been a set up and living their lives honestly and happily.

A faint smile reaches my face as I recall the two of them.

If only they hadn't snatched me so soon.

But eventually, the weariness and dehydration catch up to me.

I slowly come to a stop, closing my eyes to get rid of the blue and purple spots blurring my vision. I want more than anything to lay in bed and pretend all of this is just a dream. The pain and exhaustion is more excruciating than anything I've ever felt. My life was always so easy and simple. I never went hungry, I never grew thirsty, I never had to walk further than the courtyard…I never had to fear for my life.

Though my mind seems to be in a mush, I can faintly hear something behind me. It's hard to focus on the sound, but it is evidently there. If I'm to be honest and reveal just how weak I truly am, I don't care about that noise. All I want is to lay down and sleep after a cold glass of water.

I try to keep an even breathing pattern, continuing to ignore the approach of the figure behind me. I feel my knees giving out from under me, the air swooping my hair to cover my face as I fall as my eyes close shut…

The strangest thing is, I don't feel my body hitting the ground.


End file.
